Not the guy. The game. Owens is fascinating theatre and I will go down saying he is one of the most compelling characters I have ever covered. Of the many things that have happened over the 25 years of covering the Eagles -- the sale of the team to Jeffrey Lurie, the remarkable wins and losses, the signing of Michael Vick, the tragic death of Jerome Brown and on and on -- nothing was more captivating than the T.O. implosion in 2005.
I watched him on Tuesday and saw the same, ripped athlete putting himself in the spotlight with the NFL-hungry media gobbling him up. Owens looked good and, yeah, I hope some team signs him for the stretch run. You could do a whole lot worse than Owens, and if a team has a strong locker room and a respected head coach, Owens is probably worth a risk.
But I also admit as I watched his post-workout interview that his confidence, his swagger and the way he sometimes just won't face the truth has always been his strong suit and, when he goes overboard, his downfall.
The NFL is a better place with Terrell Owens. He is a great story. The league is based on leading men and there are few who are better suited for a leading role than is Owens. He is headed back to a football team or a broadcast booth, I imagine, and he will be a must-see in both professions.
I'm glad the Eagles are beyond Owens. Honestly, I admit to that small slice of wondering if adding Owens would work as a red-zone option, but of course he would never relegate himself to that role. The 2004 season was one in which the Eagles were dominating in the red zone, and Owens was a primary reason why. So the mind wanders ...
There are more important things in the big picture here. But on a slow news day, Owens filled the void as he has done so many times in his star-crossed career ...
With other Eagles thoughts ...
- Jason Peters has taken some heat during his time as an Eagle and I hope now that fans have seen him, digested him and understood his value to the team, they now appreciate him more and more. The guy is oneĀ of the best left tackles in the NFL. I am looking forward to him returning to the field on Sunday. Peters and right tackle Todd Herremans give the Eagles a very strong matchup against the Cowboys' pass-rushing tandem of DeMarcus Ware and Anthony Spencer.
- DeMarco Murray is for real, as evidenced by his 253-yard rushing performance on Sunday against St. Louis. The Eagles can't be surprised by him on Sunday night. They have a game of watching him on film and they have a much better idea of what he is all about. Good player. He has a bright future. The Eagles have to be physical against the Dallas running game, and watch out for that draw play the Cowboys run so well.
- Is Jeremy Maclin going to get some respect when it comes time for the Pro Bowl? If he continues his pace, he certainly needs to be considered strongly. Maclin has become a premier receiver and is only going to improve.
- Jamar Chaney has a huge role against the Cowboys against the run, particularly. Chaney played a very strong game against Washington and looked much more comfortable in the middle of Juan Castillo's defense. I don't expect a whole lot of tricks from Castillo in this game. The Eagles need to play sound, fundamental football to slow a good Dallas offense.
- Dallas quarterback Tony Romo has seen enough of the Eagles to know what they are going to try to do to him. The Eagles want to move Romo off of his spot, make him throw on the move and hope he can rush into some turnovers. Will Castillo blitz more than he has in the first six games?
- I love the way running back LeSean McCoy has matured and rounded out his game. McCoy is fifth in the league in rushing yards per game and he is already an excellent receiver. Maybe we'll see more of McCoy catching passes as the Eagles look to get their screen game going. The offense needs to do something to slow down the Dallas pass rush.
- How in the world have the Eagles lost five straight games at Lincoln Financial Field? It started with the awful loss to Minnesota, continued through the playoff loss to Green Bay and started again with two losses to the Giants and 49ers to open 2011. The fans have brought their games, but the Eagles have not been able to sustain momentum. It's time to turn it around for this team.
